Dutch Get New HD Box

Dutch cable operator UPC Nederlands, a subsidiary of Liberty Global, Inc., will begin offering its digital cable customers the opportunity to watch HDTV programming, including coverage of soccer’s World Cup tournament, with a new HD set-top called the “HD MediaBox.”
UPC Nederlands, which provides cable TV service to 2.2 million customers, will ask viewers interested in HD service to pay a one-time activation fee of EUR 49.99, or about $61, for the HD ready - UPC Mediabox manufactured by Philips.
The “HD MediaBox” will be available in June, in time for the start of World Cup coverage on public broadcaster channel Nederland 2, and customers can start pre-registering for the boxes on a dedicated website beginning April 1.

UPC Nederlands also plans to provide HD content from chellomedia’s pay TV services Film1 and Sport1, beginning in June, and will also offer a special HD channel package that will include programming from National Geographic channel. Pricing for that HD package will be announced later this spring.